Two Months Needed To Repair Damaged Aircraft

BANGKOK, December 7 (TNA) - Repairs of flood-damaged aircraft of Thai Airways International (THAI), the national flag carrier, parking at the Don Meuang Airport are estimated to take at least two months. Speaking upon his visit to a technical department at the Don Meuang Airport on Tuesday, THAI President Piyasvasti Amranand acknowledged that floodwater had receded at the airport's parking apron, particularly where two THAI A 300-600 planes are parking, and that at least three flood-damaged aircraft were expected to be fixed by the end of 2011. Piyasvasti said, however, that the deep floodwater over the past month had affected the maintenance department and suspended its operation and the national carrier had lost about 40-50 per cent of passengers during the flooding, particularly those from Japan, South Korea and China, resulting in its three-billion-baht-loss in revenues in the fourth quarter and, probably, a meager net profit at the end of this year. (TNA)